Two Of A Kind
by Mariel1
Summary: Regal and Stellar welcome not one, but two new cubs, and Brave Heart learns the hard way just how difficult newborns can be. No Heart later discovers the existence of the cubs. Part 2 of the Lucky Seven series.
1. New Arrivals

"Two of a Kind...Almost"

_Author's Note: I usually don't like to post chapter stories, but I already have this one down on paper, and I've gotten a couple emails asking when the next story would be posted. Enjoy!_

The entire Kingdom of Caring was buzzing with activity, and with very good reason.

"Did you hear!" Cheer Bear was calling to everyone she saw, "It's _twins! _Two girls! Did you hear?"

"Twins!" exclaimed Grams Bear, while Hugs and Tugs jumped up and down, "How wonderful!"

The word spread like wildfire; Regal Heart Lioness and her husband, Stellar Heart Tiger, were the proud parents of two little girl cubs.

"Yaaa-hoo!" Brave Heart whooped, sending up fireworks from his tummy symbol to announce the arrival of the two newest members of the Care Bear Family. All eyes turned to the sky as the red, green, and yellow fireworks turned pink, and a cheer began to go up. But Brave Heart wasn't finished. One huge rocket went up and exploded, and hanging in the sky above the Kingdom of Caring was a huge '2'. The resulting cheer was deafening, and in no time Take Care's waiting room was swamped with Care Bears and Care Bear Cousins who wanted to see the cubs.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" the red bear waved her paws, and the group quieted down, but not by much. "It'll be way too stressful for those babies if everyone sees them right away, and all at once!" she told them, laughing a bit.

"Awww..." everyone groaned.

Brave Heart laughed, and held up two Polaroids. "Relax guys, I got pictures!"

"Ooh, gimme!" Playful Heart snatched the pictures from him before he could react.

"Huh?" Brave Heart looked at his empty paws with a rather puzzled expression.

"Let _me_ see!" begged Cheer Bear, jumping up and down and trying to grab them as Playful held them out of reach. The group made so much noise that the cubs heard them and became frightened. Take Care whistled loudly, and the group was surprised into silence. Now that they were paying attention, they could hear the cubs crying in distress. Brave Heart grimaced a little, and the others looked ashamed.

"Keep it down, okay?" Take Care scolded gently, "Just pass the pictures down the line. You'll all get a turn."

Stellar Heart entered the room, looking annoyed. "What's all the racket?"

Brave Heart dusted himself off and replied, "Sorry about that...everyone got over-excited."

"Yeah, sorry." Playful Heart grinned, passing on the pictures.

The cubs' names were written on the white spaces at the bottom of each picture. The picture with 'Hopeful Heart (Hope) Liger' written at the bottom featured a very calm-looking cub. She was looking up at the camera with that slightly-unfocused look that all newborns have, and she was even smiling a little. The picture with 'Contrary Heart (Connie) Liger' at the bottom, however, showed a very angry cub. She had her little paws curled into fists, and she was screaming with a red face and a wide-open mouth. Both cubs were about the same color as Regal Heart, but they had brown stripes that were very similar in pattern to their father's black stripes. Each cub had a furry lion tuft at the end of her tail. Everyone noticed that they had yet to receive their tummy symbols, which was interesting; since they had been born Care Bear Cousins, it was assumed that they would be born with their symbols as well.

"Boy, does _she_ look upset!" remarked Grumpy Bear, pointing to Connie's picture. He smirked a little and asked Stellar Heart, "So, what made you pick the name 'Contrary Heart'?"

The tiger laughed, and said, "Because that's how she was being. First Take Care said she didn't cry at all when she was born, but she started the minute I held her and then she wouldn't stop." he pointed to the picture, "There she's having a fit because Brave Heart took her pacifier out so he could get a better shot of her face."

"I gave it right back..." Brave Heart laughed. "They were gonna call her 'Mellow Heart', but I don't think _that_ woulda worked!"

"Wow..." Funshine breathed, "They're so small..."

"Yep." said Brave Heart, "No bigger than eight-week-old kittens."

Bright Heart Raccoon had the pictures now, and he was frowning a bit. "You do realize that technically they're tigons, not ligers..."

Stellar Heart nodded. "Yes...we just prefer the sound of 'liger', that's all." he shrugged.

"What's the dif?" asked Playful Heart.

"Well," began Bright Heart, preparing for a lengthy explanation until he saw the looks they were giving him. He decided that the 'condensed version' would be best. "Um...well, with tigons, the father is a tiger and the mother is a lioness. With ligers the father is a lion and the mother is a tigress."

"But aren't the cubs the same either way?" asked Share Bear.

"Surprisingly, no." Bright Heart leaned forward and began to elaborate, unable to resist the temptation. "Ligers are huge; they're prone to gigantism. And tigons are at the other end of the spectrum. They tend to be smaller than either of their parents when they're fully grown, and they're prone to dwarfism. Of course, those rules don't necessarily apply to Care Bear Cousins."

"I'm not sure I understood all that, but I'll take your word for it." chuckled Stellar.

"What's in a name, huh?" Brave Heart winked.

"Syllables?" Playful Heart promptly answered, which was followed by groans of disgust.

"Well, I better..." Stellar Heart jerked a thumb over his shoulder, "Um...yeah."

He turned and went back through the door as the others calling their blessings and good wishes after him. He couldn't seem to wipe the proud smile off his face. True Heart and Noble Heart arrived just as Stellar Heart disappeared.

"There's the proud uncle!" True Heart pointed, and hugged Brave Heart. "How is she?"

"Regal? She's fine. Stellar Heart's the one you should be askin' about." he replied.

"Oh?" asked Noble Heart, "Why?"

"Cuz he bawled like a baby when he found out he was a dad!" Brave Heart laughed.

"Aw, he's just sensitive." Take Care waved off Brave Heart's remark. "He just became a father for the first time. Plenty of human fathers do the same thing."

"Aw, I wasn't makin' fun. It's just that you never see him looking so _happy_."

Secret Bear whispered something in Friend Bear's ear, and Friend Bear nodded. "You're right...Secret Bear says that we shouldn't be talking about your brother-in-law behind his back."

Brave Heart shrugged, and said, "I told him so to his face a while ago. He just laughed and told me as long as we don't start saying things about him that ain't true, we can say what we like."

"All the same, Secret Bear's right." said Noble Heart, effectively ending the conversation.

* * *

When Stellar Heart got back to his little family, Regal Heart was sitting up in bed. The twins were in a cradle nearby, and Regal was rocking it slowly with one paw. "So, what was all the noise?" she asked. 

"Oh, they were all arguing about who got to see the pictures first." he grinned, pulling up a chair.

"I see..." she smiled, settling back against the sit-up pillow. Connie began to wail again, asking to be held, and Hope began to cry because her sister was crying.

Stellar Heart lifted Connie in his arms while Regal took care of Hope. He rocked her gently, looking mildly distressed. "No, no, no...it's all right...Daddy's here..." To his surprise, Connie quieted right down. She stared up into his face, and he could have sworn it was a look of recognition. He slowly straightened up and walked around the bed so that he could sit beside his wife. "I still can't believe it..." he told her, looking in wonder at their daughters. _His_ daughters. It was like some beautiful dream, but it was real. They were really there!

Regal Heart smiled up at him as he slipped an arm around her shoulders. "You happy?" she asked.

He sniffled sharply, and nodded. "Mm-hmm..."

"Are you okay?" she asked, blinking as a tear dripped from his chin to her face.

"Yes, it's just...I keep expecting them to disappear or something, like good things sometimes do in a dream." he said. He wasn't quite satisfied with the way he had put it, but it was the only way he could think of to describe how it felt to finally see his children. It was almost too wonderful to be true.

Regal Heart smiled, and nestled closer. "Just because good things were taken from you, or kept from you in the past, doesn't mean that'll happen now. That life is over, remember?"

"With you as a reminder, it's hard to believe I almost forget sometimes." He pressed his striped forehead against her tawny one. "I love you so much..." he whispered, shutting his eyes tight.

"I love you too..." she whispered back, putting her free paw to the back of his head.

* * *

"Careful!" Regal Heart suddenly reached out, catching Stellar's head just as it neared his plate. 

"Huh?" he blinked owlishly up at her, trying to clear the sleep fog from his brain.

"You almost did a faceplant in your scrambled eggs." she laughed.

He sighed, and got to his feet. "I'm going to take a..."

Before he could say the word 'nap', Connie began to cry. Hope woke up and did the same, and Stellar Heart buried his face in his paws. "Ohhh..."

Connie was suffering from colic, just like her Uncle Brave Heart had several years before. She and Hope were two weeks old now, and their parents were exhausted. "You go take a nap. I'll take care of them." said Regal Heart, getting to her feet. She smiled wearily and wagged her finger, playfully chiding him. "You know, you shouldn't have let me sleep last night."

"You've been getting less sleep than I have, Regal. I figured it wouldn't kill me to take a turn." he said with a yawn, getting up to follow her, but at that moment there was a knock at the door.

Stellar Heart sighed, and went to answer it. For the past two weeks they had been getting daily visits from several members of the family. Though it was appreciated, he was beginning to get tired of tuna noodle casseroles and jello molds, not to mention the many games of 'pass the baby'. He put his paw on the doorknob, took a deep breath to steel himself, and opened the door.

It was Brave Heart. "Hey, buddy! Wow...you look terrible!"

Stellar Heart scowled. "Thank you."

"Sorry. You okay?" asked Brave Heart.

"Oh, yeah..." he sighed, letting Brave Heart in, "I just had a long night."

"So I hear." remarked Brave Heart, wincing as Connie gave a particularly loud scream.

"You know, Hope's a perfectly nice, quiet cub, but then Connie gets her all riled up, and it's..." he threw up his paws, and sat down. "Between the two of them, we don't sleep."

Regal Heart came out with the twins, saying, "Stellar, can you help..." then she noticed Brave Heart. "Oh, hey Bro."

"Hey." Brave Heart gave his sister a peck on the cheek, and gently took Connie from her. "Heard you were having some problems." he winced as Connie screamed in his ear, flailing out her tiny fists and accidentally bopping him on the nose.

Regal sighed, rocking Hopeful Heart without even thinking about it. "Not problems, exactly, but yeah...The medication we got for her colic isn't working, and Take Care doesn't want to give her anything stronger. So poor Hope sleeps about as much as we do."

"Aww..." Brave Heart rocked Connie a bit. "Are you makin' trouble? Huh?"

Connie must have heard the sympathy in his voice, because her cries became even more pitiful than before.

"Poor kid...you can't help it, can ya? Nooo...you gotta tummy ache, don't you?" Brave Heart cooed as his sister and her husband tried not to laugh. Responding to the sound and feel of the words as her uncle spoke, Connie turned her head towards him and grabbed a fistful of his chest fur. "Ow!" he gently pried her fingers loose, and gave her his thumb to squeeze instead. "Good grip..."

"Yeah, tell me about it..." laughed Regal Heart. "She does that to us too."

Stellar Heart suddenly began to snore; he had lost the battle to stay awake, and had finally dozed off sitting up.

"Poor guy..." Regal Heart reached over and stroked the back of his head just behind his left ear. Stellar Heart began to purr in his sleep, and Brave Heart snickered.

"Sis, I think you married a giant tabby cat!"

Stellar Heart snorted, and quickly sat up straight. "Huh?"

"Nothing." Brave Heart shook his head, still laughing. "Tell you what, why don't you let me cub-sit today while the two of you get some sleep?"

"Well..." Regal hesitated, "It won't be like watching Hugs and Tugs...They're still very small."

"Relax. If I have any trouble, I'll just call True Heart. She's been dyin' to spend some more time with these two." he said.

"Well..." Regal looked at Connie, who now seemed to be fascinated by her own toes. "All right. I'll get their things." She handed Hope over to Stellar Heart, who looked more than a little nervous about this cub-sitting arrangement.

"We're trusting you, Brave Heart." he said quietly.

"Aw, don't worry. I'll shave my mane off before I let anything hurt these two."

Stellar had to laugh at the thought of Brave Heart with a shaved head. Regal Heart brought out the new carriage they had recieved about a month before at her baby shower, and began showing Brave Heart what was in it.

"Okay, here are their blankets...make sure they're buckled in securely." she told him, "Here, I wrote out the directions for preparing their bottles, as well as the feeding pattern they seem to be sticking to. The diapers and baby wipes are in here...that's about it."

"Pacifiers too." Stellar Heart reminded her, and she slapped her forehead with her paw and left the room again. She came back with the pacifiers, and gave them to the cubs. Hope accepted hers, but Connie spat hers back out and sucked her thumb instead.

"Suit yourself." Regal shrugged, putting Connie's pacifier in a little plastic baggie and tucking it into the diaper bag. She turned to Brave Heart, and gave him a challenging smirk. "You sure you can handle it, Bro?"

He drew himself up to his full height of three-and-a-half feet and declared firmly, "I told you before; Brave Heart Lion can handle _anything._"

Connie picked that exact moment to spit up on herself...and on _him_. She screwed up her tiny face and belted out the loudest wail yet. "_WAAAAAHAAAHAAA!_"

Brave Heart groaned, wondering what he had just gotten himself into.

* * *

"Will you stop apologizing?" Brave Heart laughed as his sister helped the two of them get cleaned up. He feigned annoyance as she pawed at him with a baby wipe, and took it from her. "Gimme that...She's a baby. Babies do that." 

"Okay." she seemed relieved that he wasn't really upset, and focused on wiping her baby's face. "We really appreciate this, Brave Heart. It's been kinda rough these past two weeks."

"That's okay. Glad to do it. If ya don't mind my sayin' so, you look like you've been running marathons." He finished with the baby wipe and threw it away.

"What's the matter?" Regal smirked, striking a pose as she stood in her nightshirt and bunny slippers, "You don't like my ensemble?"

Brave Heart wisely avoided responding to that, and said, "Well, anyone taking care of twins can use a break every now and then." He smirked down at Connie. "You got yer Momma and Daddy running all over the place, don't you?"

"Bahhh..." Connie grunted, sucking on her fist as Regal did her best to clean the squirming baby. The cub was trying to grab the baby wipe with her other paw, and she actually giggled when her mother began to look frustrated.

"I can see why you named this one 'Contrary Heart'!" said Brave Heart, laughing as Connie finally got a grip on it and refused to let go.

It was a bit of a fiasco, but Regal finally managed to get things together. And not a moment too soon. Stellar Heart had dozed off again, and was losing his grip on Hope. Regal's eyes widened, and she just barely managed to catch the baby before she rolled off the couch. "Stellar, be _careful!_"

"Huh?" he jumped, thrust into wakefulness once more. Then he saw how Regal was cuddling Hope, and he realized what had almost happened. He put a paw over his mouth. "Oh gosh...I...I'm so sorry..."

She sighed, knowing from her own experience just how tired he was. "No harm done...this time. Next time put her in the cradle when you feel it coming on."

Stellar Heart didn't answer. He was looking down at the floor in shame, still shocked by what could have been.

Regal and her brother got the twins bundled up in the carriage, and Regal followed her brother out. "You be sure and call us if you have any trouble, okay?"

"Relax." he grinned, giving her a goodbye hug. "I've watched cubs before. Maybe not this young, but I can handle it. I'll see you guys tonight."

"Okay. Oh, they like it when you sing to them." Regal called after him, though she immediately regretted it. Her brother didn't exactly have the best singing voice.

"Check." Brave Heart said without turning around.

Regal began to head back inside, but she suddenly turned and stuck her head out the door again. "Oh, and don't forget to burp them after feedings, especially Connie!"

"Okay."

"You'll call if you have _any_ questions at all, right?" she called a bit louder, and he rolled his eyes.

"Yes."

"Oh, and here's what to do if they get the sniffles-" she began, and he finally stopped walking and turned around.

"Sis?"

She blinked. "Yeah?"

"Go to sleep. You need it. _Trust_ me." he somehow managed to sound amused and exasperated at the same time, and she flinched sheepishly.

"Okay...good luck." she waved, and shut the door. Yawning, she turned to her husband to make a wisecrack about her brother's cub-sitting abilities. She stopped short when she saw that his face was buried in his paws. "You all right?"

"I...I almost hurt my baby..." he mumbled. He wasn't crying, but he clearly felt terrible. Regal went over and put her arms around him, and he heaved a deep sigh. He was just so _tired_. If it only took him two weeks to nearly injure one of them, what kind of father was he?

"It's okay, she's fine." Regal told him.

"But if you hadn't come in when you did..." he didn't finish his sentence, though. He didn't even want to think about it.

"But I did, and that's all that matters. You're just tired, Stellar. We both are." She moved back a bit and put a paw under his chin, forcing him to look up. "Nothing happened, and she's okay. Okay?"

"Yeah..." he nodded. The past two weeks of sleep deprivation had finally caught up with him, bringing his stress level to an undesirable high, but to his credit he hadn't lost his composure. Regal Heart was by far the strongest of the two of them, at least emotionally. Both had dealt with painful events in their lives, but hers had only lasted a day. His trials had lasted for three years, from the time he was born. Regal Heart usually dealt with her sadness by shutting down for a while, and Stellar was more likely to show it on the surface. It was an oddly backwards arrangement, to be sure, but being a Care Bear Cousin made it easier for a male to get away with this kind of thing. In many ways, she was his rock. And he didn't care who knew it.

"Come on," she took his paw, "let's get some sleep while we can."

"Amen to that..." he stood and followed her, then sat down gratefully on the edge of the bed. Regal set their clock radio for seven-thirty, and the two of them settled down for a well deserved nap. She fell asleep almost instantly, but even as tired as he was, it was several minutes before he was able to nod off.

* * *

It took Brave Heart about three times as long as it usually did to get home. Everyone who passed him made him stop so that they could fuss over the twins. Of course he was glad to show them off, and there was ample opportunity for him to do so. 

"They're so soft!" marveled Cozy Heart Penguin, gently stroking Connie's cheek. Connie wasn't happy with this, however, and she turned her head in an attempt to bite. Of course she had no teeth yet, but Cozy moved her 'paw' away from the baby's face and looked surprised.

"Sorry 'bout that." Brave Heart told her, "I forgot she doesn't like havin' her face touched."

"Oh. How about this instead?" she asked, making a whistling sound at the 's' in the word 'instead', and tickling Connie's tummy. The baby immediately began to giggle, a high-pitched squeaking sound, and she squirmed playfully as the penguin stopped tickling her. The blanket slipped down at Connie's movements, and Cozy Heart noticed her tummy symbol. "Oh...I thought tummy symbols didn't repeat."

Connie's symbol was almost exactly like her father's. It was a spattering of red and gold stars in the shape of a pinwheel galaxy, and at first glance it looked just like Stellar's symbol.

"They don't. Hers is different." replied Brave Heart, "The galaxy shape spirals in the opposite direction."

"Oh." Cozy Heart nodded, thinking that it suited her. The galaxy shape spiraled in a direction that was _contrary_ to her father's. The design wasn't completely unique, but it was her own. Cozy looked at Hopeful Heart next, and gently pulled back the blanket so that she could see the other twin's symbol. Hope gave a little shiver and began to whine, and Cozy Heart quickly tucked the blanket back around her. Hope's symbol was a red taper candle with a heart-shaped flame, which was set in a green holder with a handle on the left side of it. "Well, I better be going. See you, Brave Heart. Bye-bye, sweeties!"

"Bye." Brave Heart waved, and turned towards his cave. "Here we are, kiddoes." he told them, wheeling the carriage in and shutting the door. He winced as the door slammed; it had slipped out of his paw, and the twins immediately began to scream.

"Sorry..." he lifted them carefully, and sat with them on the couch. "I'm sorry...Uncle's sorry..."

It didn't take him long to calm them down, but a few minutes later Connie started right back up again.

"What's the matter?" he asked, as if she could answer. Connie made herself as small as possible, and looked like she was in pain. "Oh, I get it now..."

Hope was still fussing a bit, but it was only because her sister's cries were disturbing her. Brave Heart carefully laid Hope back in the carriage, and sat down with Connie. He remembered something that True Heart had once told him, and began to rub her tummy a bit. If anything, Connie screamed even louder.

"Man..." he stood up and began to pace back and forth with his niece, patting her on the back and making little shushing noises to calm her. It actually seemed to be working until Hope needed a new diaper, and let loose with a scream that put Connie's to shame. Brave Heart switched cubs long enough to change Hope, who was fine after that. Then he went back to Connie, who was protesting at being put down. "Okay, okay, I gotcha..." he picked her back up, and she curled into a ball again. "No wonder your parents ain't sleepin'." Almost as if in answer to that, Connie bopped him on the nose for the second time that day.

He decided that he needed help after all. Putting Connie over his shoulder, Brave Heart picked up his phone with his free paw and dialed a number with his thumb. He sighed as he waited for someone to pick up, and on the third ring there was a click.

"Hello, True Heart speaking." came a clear, female voice from the other end.

"Hey, True Heart." said Brave Heart, raising his voice in order to be heard over the baby's shrieks. "I have a problem..."

"So I hear." replied True Heart, unknowingly using the phrase that Brave Heart himself had said about a half an hour before. "I'll be right over."

"Thanks."

* * *

True Heart arrived ten minutes later, and Brave Heart was never so glad to see her. With Connie screaming in his ear the entire time, he explained things to True Heart. "They looked like they were ready to drop, so I offered to cub-sit for the day. Now Connie won't stop cryin' because of her colic, and I can't handle her and Hope at the same time! I thought I could, but I can't...I don't know how they do it." 

True Heart shook with silent laughter, and he gave her a hurt look.

"Well, I'm glad _you're_ enjoying this!" he drawled, narrowing his eyes a bit.

"I'm sorry, this is just a familiar scene." True Heart held out her arms, and Brave Heart handed Connie over, mollified. True Heart continued, "You had colic as a cub. Do you know what helped more than anything else?"

"No, what?"

"A warm bath." she said. "Why don't you watch Hope, and I'll see if it helps with Connie."

"All right..." Brave Heart agreed, picking up Hope, who was fussing again. It took him a moment to figure out that she was hungry. He dug through the diaper bag and brought out his sister's instructions, then he began to read. "Let's see..."

Fortunately, he had no trouble with the bottles; Regal's instructions were very precise. He set Connie's bottle down on a nearby table, and sat in a chair with Hope nestled in the crook of his arm. "Here ya go, Munchkin..." he rocked her gently, holding the bottle for her. He was dimly aware that Connie had stopped crying completely. "Heh...sure, she quiets down for True Heart, and not her uncle..."

He caught Hope staring at him, and when he smiled down at her she smiled back, formula dribbling down her chin. "Aw, are you makin' a mess?" he chuckled, wiping her chin with a towel from the open diaper bag.

"Ahh..." she cooed, reaching up and patting his face, and he felt his heart turn over.

True Heart, who had just come back in, watched this with a wide smile on her face. "Ah, looks like she won _somebody_ over."

Brave Heart blushed, and looked the other way for a moment until it faded. "How'd it go with Connie?"

"Very well, as you can see." said True Heart, nodding towards the cub in her arms. Connie was the calmest he'd seen her all day. As soon as she saw her uncle, she stretched out her tiny arms and gave a squeal of happy recognition.

"She knows me..." He said in awe.

"Well, of course! You're her uncle, and she's seen you almost every day since she was born." chuckled True Heart.

"Yeah, but she's only two weeks old."

True Heart shrugged, and replied, "Babies know more than you think."

Connie reached for Brave Heart again, frustrated that she couldn't get to him under her own power. "Ah, ah, a_h!_" she grunted insistantly.

Brave Heart held out an arm for his niece, and he and True Heart traded cubs. As soon as Brave Heart had her, Connie buried her face in his furry chest.

* * *

True Heart had left soon after taking care of Connie's little problem, so Brave Heart had the twins for the rest of the day. When he brought them home at eight-thirty that night, he looked a bit frayed around the edges. Regal and Stellar were just putting the finishing touches on a light supper when the doorbell rang. 

"I got it." Stellar Heart dried his paws, and opened the door to find Brave Heart standing on the doorstep with a fresh spit-up spot on his shoulder. The tiger looked him up and down, and couldn't resest a wry chuckle. "Wow," he quipped, "You look terrible!"

"Ha ha, it is to laugh." Brave Heart smirked, pushing the carriage ahead of him as he entered their home. "You guys enjoy your nap?"

"There they are!" Regal said as she came into the room. She walked right past Brave Heart as the lion attempted to hug her, and picked up the cubs, kissing them. "Mommy missed you!"

Stellar answered Brave Heart's question. "Yes we did, but the house was way too quiet when we woke up. It's funny...I can't believe I'm saying that after the past two weeks, but it's true!"

Remembering her manners, Regal Heart kissed her brother's cheek since her arms were full. "Stay for dinner," she offered as she left to put the twins to bed, "you've earned it."

Brave Heart didn't have to be told twice.

_To be continued..._


	2. Abduction

Two of a Kind...Almost

Chapter 2: Abduction

"What!" No Heart's eyes flashed red, and as if in response to this there was a particularly loud thunderclap from outside.

Beastly cringed, but spoke on. "I said she wasn't just getting fat...she...she...I saw them with two new cubs!"

"I _heard_ you the first time!" No Heart snapped, tucking his hands into the sleeves of his robes, and turning his back to consider. He had suspected as much; after all, while the Care Bears' tummies were somewhat round as a general rule, he had yet to see a fat one. It was for this very reason that No Heart had been so interested in keeping Regal and Stellar from marrying in the first place. Already the Care Bear Family had welcomed several new members by way of finding them on Earth, but if they could actually reproduce it could spell disaster for him. Now his suspicions were confirmed. His failure the year before had been more costly than he had first thought, and Regal Heart Lioness had given birth to twins. But when? "How old did they look?"

"Umm, I dunno...I saw 'em out on their front lawn, walking kinda wobbly-like, so I'd guess..." Beastly trailed off; he didn't know.

"They're at the toddler stage already...hmm..." No Heart reached under his cowl, and stroked his chin thoughtfully. "It would be interesting to see exactly how fast they would grow...and how impressionable they are."

"Boss?"

"Go and bring them to me." commanded No Heart.

"Th-the cubs?" Beastly blinked in surprise.

No Heart gave a pained sigh. "Yes, you lop-eared marmoset, the cubs."

"You mean, the _new_ cubs?" pressed Beastly.

No Heart gritted his teeth, and his eyes flared crimson. "**Now**, Beastly!"

* * *

The tiger slept peacefully on the playroom floor, unaware that one of his little striped daughters was sneaking up on him. Contrary Heart, seeing that her watchful mother wasn't trying to stop her, continued her trek towards her slumbering father. She dropped to her hands and knees, crawling slowly, and for a few moments she simply watched him. Then, with a mischievous smile, she extended one finger and just barely touched the white fur that lined the inside of her father's right ear. She stifled a giggle as Stellar Heart's ear flicked in response to the offending sensation, but when he didn't wake up, she reached out again.

Flick, flick, flick.

"Mmmh..." Stellar Heart groaned, his forehead wrinkling as he frowned. He was beginning to wake up.

Connie didn't even try to keep from laughing now as she tickled her father's ear again. "Hee hee, tickie, tickie, tickie!"

Flick, flick, flickflickflick... "I'll give _you_ 'tickie'!" laughed Stellar Heart, his eyes popping open as he grabbed his daughter and administered the tickling of a lifetime. Connie kicked and faught, screeching laughter as her father tickled her under her arms.

"Mommy, _help!_" she squealed. At least, that's what it sounded like, but she was laughing too hard to be easily understood.

Regal Heart, who had been holding Hope on her lap and laughing, looked down and said, "Shall we tickle Daddy?"

"No!" interjected Stellar, who as luck would have it was very ticklish.

"Yeth." giggled Hope, sliding off her mother's lap and tackling her father down to the playroom floor. He was already sitting down, so it wasn't far to fall. "I de tickle bug!" she yelled, tickling his neck. Stellar Heart soon overcame her, however, and he held both cubs at bay.

"You can't win!" he laughed as he tickled them, "You're only the _little _tickle bugs. I'm the _big_ tickle bug!"

"Is that a fact?" asked Regal, coming over to join them.

Stellar looked up, his expression half-amused and half-apprehensive. "Hey, whose side are you on?"

"I don't take sides, I just have fun!" And with that, she began to tickle his tummy. She received an unexpected shock when he suddenly stopped tickling the cubs and tickled her instead. He was larger than she was, so he easily overpowered her.

"Let's tickle Mommy!" he told the cubs, who were more than happy to join in and do just that. With Stellar Heart holding her down so that she couldn't escape, the three of them tickled her until she was laughing so hard she could barely breathe. That was when Stellar let her up and pulled the cubs off of her. "Okay, that's enough. I think we got a little carried away."

Regal Heart, still laughing and out of breath, sat up and looked at the clock. "Hey, it's nearly 5:00. These two should have had their baths half an hour ago."

Connie immediately stopped laughing and backed up against the wall, shaking her head. "No bath."

Hope picked up one of her toys, a stuffed bunny, and didn't pay the three of them any mind. She was used to this routine by now, and she knew exactly how it would play out.

"Now, Connie..." said Stellar Heart as Regal went to run the bath water, "you know this happens every night. The sooner we get it over with, the sooner you can go back to playing, okay?"

"No."

"Come on, Connie." he reached out, and she stepped away from him, still shaking her head. "Bathtime. Now. Let's go."

"No!" she screamed, folding her arms and sticking out her lower lip.

"Yes." he said calmly, and reached out to pick her up. Connie hissed loudly, then made a 'ffft' sound as she gave a feline spit. "None of that, come on."

"I won't!" she shot back, and his expression became stern.

"Do we talk to Daddy that way?" he asked.

Contrary Heart didn't move until he reached out to put his paws on her waist in order to lift her, then she lashed out and nipped his thumb.

"Yeowch!" Stellar Heart wrung his smarting paw and said as patiently as possible, "What part of never _ever_ bite your father don't you _understand?_"

"No bath! _No_ bath! _Nonononononono!_" shouted Connie as she evaded her father's grasp and sped down the hallway as fast as she could, which was surprisingly fast for how small she was, nearly knocking her sister over as she passed. "I don't wanna!"

Hopeful Heart merely glanced up, then went back to pretending her little stuffed bunny was her 'baby'.

"Contrary Heart Liger, you obey your father this instant!" called Regal from the bathroom, and judging by her tone of voice she meant business. As she intended, the cub faltered in her headlong dash towards the linen closet she planned on hiding in, and turned her head at the sound of her mother's voice. Connie was distracted long enough for her father to catch up with her, and she gave a squeal of defeat as he swept her up and carried her under his arm like a sack of potatoes. He normally held his daughters in a more comfortable grip, but this was to protect himself against further bites.

"To the tub with you!" he announced.

"No! You're mean!" she struggled, but of course she lost the battle and ended up having her bath. During the whole 'ordeal', she sat slumped in the tub with her little arms folded sullenly across her chest.

"You better wipe that look off your face." Regal warned quietly as she scrubbed behind Connie's ears.

"What look?" Connie snapped.

"The dirty one."

Connie sighed and looked down, submitting for the moment to her mother's will. While she was being dried off her father came in, leading Hopeful Heart by the paw. As usual, Hope was just going along with it.

"Kiss-up..." Connie muttered, disgusted.

"Stop that," Regal Heart told her, "you be nice."

Hope watched the exchange with an expression of bewilderment, wondering why her sister was mad at her _this_ time. It wasn't that Hope was a particularly obedient cub; she just happened to enjoy her evening bath. She and her sister were three months old, almost to the day, but for some reason, for them, that translated to a toddler of about two-and-a-half. Both twins spoke extremely well for as young as they were, but they were still babies just the same. And Connie just happened to be going through the 'terrible twos'.

Regal picked up Connie and brought her to the playroom to be dressed in a new pair of pajamas, quite aware that Connie's sense of feline dignity was still smarting from the unwanted drenching. "Don't you think you should apologize for biting your daddy?" she said to the cub as she brought over a new diaper.

Connie took the diaper from her, and declared, "I do it myself."

"Okay, you do it yourself." said Regal, "But Daddy loves you, and it's a bad thing to bite someone who loves you."

Connie looked up, and now she was beginning to look a bit guilty. "I hurt Daddy's feelings?" she asked.

"Yes." Regal said in the same gentle-but-firm tones her human mother had used with her, knowing that Connie was still only a baby, and was frustrated that she couldn't do as much for herself as she wanted to. And though the cub hated not getting her own way, she was otherwise a very pleasant little thing. And now, thankfully, she was beginning to realize that she had made a mistake. Regal helped her fasten the diaper as she continued, and since she had her daughter's attention the cub wasn't objecting to the help she was getting. "But it'll go away if you say you're sorry."

Stellar, who was busy giving Hope her bath, had already forgotten about the bite. In fact, he was more concerned with finding the rubber ducky that Hope was asking for. "Um..." he stuck his head out the bathroom door, keeping one ear cocked towards Hope as the cub took an interest in her own toes. "Honey, where's the rubber ducky?"

Regal Heart raised her voice and replied, "Should be in the linen closet."

There was a moment's silence, then the sound of the linen closet opening. Regal heard Stellar muttering to himself, and Hope giggling as she splashed bath water onto the floor. "Found it!" he called back.

The tiger went back into the bathroom, and too late he noticed the large puddle on the floor. His feet flew out from under him as he slipped, and with a loud "Whoa!", he landed flat on his rear, bumping the back of his head on toilet bowl. Hope immediately began to cry, and Regal Heart, who wasn't thinking, got to her feet and ran to see what happened. Connie's gaze followed her, but the cub stayed put.

"Ahhh..." Stellar groaned, clutching his head and trying to uncross his eyes. He was more stunned than hurt, and he slowly sat up as Regal appeared in the room.

"What happened?" Regal asked, kneeling down to help Stellar sit up.

"Daddy fall down, go boom!" Hope sniffled, pointing.

"Daddy's okay." said Stellar, giving his head one final shake as he got to his feet. There was normally a little rug on the bathroom floor to prevent such mishaps, but at the moment it was in the laundry; the rug's temporary replacement, an old bath towel, had been bunched up in the struggle to get Connie into the tub.

Connie, for once, was behaving herself and playing quietly when she heard a soft tapping sound at the playroom window.

"Huh?" Connie turned to look, and she saw a creature that was about the size of a Care Bear. But he wasn't a Care Bear. He beckoned her over with one clawed finger, and she got to her feet. "Whaddaya want?"

"Open the window." the creature said as loudly as he dared, looking left and right to make sure no one had spotted him.

Contrary Heart, who had not yet absorbed the fact that strangers could be dangerous, unlatched the window with some difficulty before straining to open it. She wasn't strong enough, but _he_ was. He opened the window, and grabbed her before she could let out a peep. He quickly covered her mouth, and carried her towards his favorite mode of transportation, a strange combination of helicopter and bicycle.

"Oh boy, oh _boy!_ No Heart is gonna be _so_ thrilled! I caught one of the cubs! I caught-ow, don't bite!" Beastly shook his bitten paw, and Connie filled her lungs.

"**_HELP! MOMMY!_**"

Regal Heart gasped and ran back into the playroom. She stopped short when she saw that the window was open, then rushed towards it to look. There was no sign of Contrary Heart, or of whoever it was that had taken her. "Stellar! Connie's gone!"

Stellar Heart grabbed a towel, and whisked a surprised Hopeful Heart out of the tub. She gave a little squeak of protest, but when she saw the look of panic on his face she kept her own council. Swaddled in the towel and pressed against his chest, she could feel his heart racing as he ran with her to the playroom.

"What happened?" Stellar cried as Regal ran out to meet him.

"She's gone! The...window, and...heard her yell, and...someone took her!" she burst into tears, and he quickly went to comfort her. Putting an arm about her shoulders, he drew her close.

"Did you see anything?" he asked urgently.

"N...no..." she sobbed.

"Don' cry, Mommy!" Hope begged, hugging her as she was pinned between them.

"We'll find her," Stellar Heart told his wife, rubbing her back with his paw. "We'll call Brave Heart, or Noble Heart. They'll know what to do."


	3. What Are You?

"Two of a Kind...Almost"

Chapter 3: What Are You?

"You're bad! Lemme go!" yelled Connie as she tried to get Beastly to let her go, unaware that she was in danger of falling if she succeeded.

"Pipe down, and don't flatter me. It won't work." returned Beastly, holding Connie so that she couldn't bite him again. Somehow he managed to cycle to No Heart's castle without crashing, and this was no easy feat; Connie was refusing to be still, and he was used to cubs behaving meekly. Hugs and Tugs certainly hadn't given him this much trouble!

"I want my mommy! I want my daddy!" Connie wailed, bringing her little fists up to her eyes and crying loudly. "I'm scared, I want my mommy!"

"Be quiet! No Heart doesn't like-"

"BEASTLY!"

"-noise." Beastly finished lamely, and Connie was shocked into silence. A tall figure who was wearing a hooded cloak appeared in front of them, followed by a girl who looked to be about ten years old. She had a blue-and-purple ponytail, and wore a very sour expression.

"Causing trouble again, furball?" the girl sneered at Beastly, then she noticed Connie. "Eew, what's that dirty little brat doing here?"

Connie sniffled, and said, "I not dirty...I jus' had a bath..."

No Heart glared down at Beastly after getting a good look at the cub, and said, "I told you to bring _both_ cubs. I only see one!"

"B-but I could only grab one! Their parents were giving the other one a bath, and that would be...er..." he counted on his fingers, "Yeah, that would be two against one!"

The sorcerer snorted, but didn't bother to argue. He had learned long ago not to rely on Beastly's courage, because it was doubtful that the strange creature possessed any. He strode slowly towards them to tower over Connie, as if trying to intimidate her, and she immediately began to wail.

"_Mommy!"_

"Silence!" No Heart roared, picking her up by the scruff of her neck and dangling her in front of his face.

"That_ huuuuuurts!_"

"_Silence_, I said!" he shook her once, and she put her paws over her mouth to stifle her sobs. "That's better...now..."

Connie's tummy symbol began to hum, and all eyes including her own were drawn in the direction of her belly. Everyone but Contrary Heart suddenly felt as if their limbs were falling asleep; it began as a pins-and-needles sensation, and slowly a numbness began to spread from the tips of their fingers and toes. Even the air seemed thicker. No Heart's eyes widened in surprise, and he held her out at arm's length. "What _are_ you!"

"I...I wanna go _home!_" she cried, and on the word 'home', everyone around her froze in place. She hung there for a moment before she realized that she was as good as alone, then she began to squirm until she had freed herself from No Heart's stony grip. She landed on her bottom, hard, but she barely noticed the pain as she scrambled to her feet and ran, screaming, into what appeared to be No Heart's throne room. She dove under the throne and curled into a ball, terrified that if she came out he would wake up and be angry with her. It was obvious already that he was _not_ a good person to anger.

* * *

While Stellar Heart kept Hope amused inside, Brave Heart stood outside with his sister, just underneath the playroom window. So far they had only been able to get in touch with Brave Heart, and he had sent out a general distress signal to any Family member who happened to be near enough to see it. 

"Now tell me, _calmly_, what happened." Brave Heart said firmly. Regal Heart had been hysterical when he had arrived, so he had taken her outside, hoping that some fresh air would calm her down. When it hadn't, he did something he never liked to do; he had taken her by the shoulders and sternly told her to stop, saying that the longer they stood around doing nothing, the harder it would be to get her daughter back safely. The look she had given him when he said that had split his heart in two, but they both knew he was right.

Regal Heart, now much calmer, took a deep breath and said, "Okay...I left the room for a minute because I heard Stellar slip and fall...I heard her calling for help, and when I got there the window was open, and...and she was gone." she sniffled and looked away, trying to control herself.

"All right, now we're getting somewhere." he said, "And you didn't see who it was?"

"N...no."

"Okay...then let's look around for some sort of clue." he gave her arm a pat, and began to scope out the nearby area. She sniffled again, and helped him look. "You're doin' great, Sis. Just keep it together for now, okay?"

"Yeah..." she swallowed hard.

Brave Heart actually had a pretty good idea who it was, but he wasn't entirely sure. He checked the ground for tracks, but he and his sister had thoughtlessly obscured the few that were there. He scratched his head, frowning.

"I know who it was." Stellar said from the window as he peered down at them, his face a mask of stony anger. "Who else could get up here? No Heart _has_ to be involved somehow."

Brave Heart glanced up, and said, "I just wanna be sure."

"Humph, 'just wanna be sure'...I already said _I _was sure..." Stellar muttered, ducking back in as Hope tugged on his arm to get his attention. "What is it, sweetie?"

"Wanna pway?" she held up her stuffed bunny.

Regal didn't hear Stellar's response; she had spotted something. "Hmm?" she squinted at one of the bushes, having sighted a tuft of brown fur sticking to a twig. "Brave Heart..."

"Found something?" he asked excitedly.

"I'm not sure." she broke off the twig, and when she held it up they could see a red thread wound throughout the hair fibers.

Brave Heart growled, baring his teeth. "Why, that dirty little..." he turned and sent up another distress call from his tummy symbol.

"Wh...what is it? Do you know who it was?" Regal grabbed his arm, and he could feel her shaking.

He turned to her, and nodded. "Yeah..."

"Well, who?" she pressed, and he sighed.

"That fur and bit of thread came from Beastly...the thread's from that scarf he always has on...he's brought Connie to No Heart."

If Stellar had been within hearing range, he would have had something to say about that deduction. Regal stared at him for a moment, then quickly turned away and hid her face in her paws. "And I _left_ her...what kind of mother am I?"

"C'mere..." Brave Heart turned her around and held her close. This time he let her cry. "You're a _great_ mom, ya hear? Don't say you're a bad one, and don't think it. Okay?"

"My baby..."

"We'll find her; it's not too late. She'll be okay, trust me." he supported her as her balance suffered, and she would have fallen to her knees if he wasn't there to prop her up. Unlike everyone else in the Kingdom of Caring, Regal Heart had actually lost loved ones to No Heart. Because of this, it didn't surprise him that she had gone to pieces; she was terrified of having it happen again.

He was still hugging her when help arrived, and she had calmed down considerably by then. When she heard the sputtering of the Cloudmobiles, she stepped back and rubbed her eyes. He used his tummy symbol to create a handkerchief, and held it out.

"Thank you..." she took it, and blew her nose.

"You okay now?" he asked.

"Yeah..."

"You sure?"

She nodded, sniffling. "Yeah, I'm done..."

"Okay..." he nodded, patting her on the shoulder, and went to meet the others.

Very few had been able to answer the distress call; most of the Bears and Cousins were on missions, and hadn't even seen the signal. Only Pround Heart Cat, Noble Heart Horse, Lotsa Heart Elephant, Grumpy Bear and Wish Bear had seen the signal and responded to it.

"What's the trouble?" called Noble Heart, vaulting out of his Cloudmobile.

Brave Heart cleared his throat to keep his voice sounding strong, but it didn't work very well. "Connie's been kidnapped."

Proud Heart's mouth sagged open for a moment, and Wish Bear went over to Regal Heart.

"Are you all right?" asked the teal bear, and Regal Heart shook her head slowly from side-to-side. "Don't worry, we'll find her." said Wish Bear, giving her a hug.

"And that's the truth!" agreed Lotsa Heart.

"Yeah, but who took her?" asked Grumpy Bear, folding his arms, "Or do I already know the answer to that?"

"No Heart has her." replied Brave Heart, looking away in order to keep a straight face; it was starting to sink in that there was a possibility that they were wrong, and Connie might be lost forever.

"I knew it..." Grumpy sighed.

Brave Heart turned his attention back to the group, and said, "We're not as many as I was hopin', but we have to leave _now_."

Stellar Heart came out to join them as he said this, carrying Hope at his hip. The look of uncompromising anger on his face was enough to give even Noble Heart pause, but his expression softened when he saw his wife. Without a word he transferred Hope to her, and the corners of his mouth turned up somewhat. "We'll be back soon."

Regal looked at him in disbelief, and said, "I'm going too."

"No," Brave Heart turned to her, "you're too upset; you'll be a danger to yourself and the rest of us."

"But I can't just _stay_ here! I..." she looked from one face to the other, but received nothing but nods in return. "I don't believe this!"

"I'm sorry, Sis, but I'm pulling rank here; as your Leader, I'm telling you to stay here. Besides, there's no one else to watch Hope. Unless you want to bring her with us..." he said in a rather offhand manner.

She shook her head quickly, holding her daughter close.

"Then it's settled." Brave Heart motioned for the others to follow him, and Stellar hugged Regal one last time before leaving with them.

As Regal watched them go, Hope said, "Mommy, I'm hungwy..."

Regal looked at her watch, and saw that it was actually past dinnertime. They hadn't even had a chance to cook anything. "What would you like?" she asked, trying to sound upbeat.

"S'ketti O's."

* * *

"Look out!" cried Wish Bear. 

Brave Heart stopped short, just inches away from walking into one of No Heart's Shadows. "Whoa!"

The Shadow wasn't moving. Brave Heart didn't move either, at first, but after a moment he relaxed. "I think this one's a fake to scare us off." he told them, reaching out to poke the 'fake' Shadow. As soon as his finger came in contact with it, it sprang to life and reached for him. "Yaaah!" Brave Heart cried out in surprise, propelling it backwards with a Cousin Call.

"Stare!" yelled Grumpy Bear, and the seven of them eventually forced it to back off and hide from them.

"Whew..." sighed Brave Heart, sagging a bit. "That was a close one."

"Why was it just..._standing_ there?" asked Stellar, "It was like it either didn't see us, or couldn't move."

"Never mind that." said Brave Heart, recovering his dignity, "We've got a cub to save! Come on."

They followed him closely, looking periodically over their shoulders as if they expected that Shadow, or more than one Shadow, to return. But, strangely enough, they met with no resistance.

They had been searching for about an hour by the time they made it to the throne room, and as composed as Stellar Heart appeared on the outside, his heart was in his throat. So far, they had seen no sign of his missing daughter. Brave Heart led the others into the throne room, halting suddenly when he saw No Heart, Beastly, and Shrieky. Just like the Shadow, they weren't moving at all; the room was completely still and silent. Brave Heart simply took in No Heart's immobile state; he sighed, his shoulders slumped in defeat. "How am I ever gonna tell my sister...?"

Grumpy laid a paw on Brave Heart's shoulder, and the fur on Stellar's back slowly began to rise. He clenched his paws into fists that shook, and stared up at No Heart with something that bordered on hatred.

"Are you all right?" Noble Heart asked him.

Instead of answering, Stellar lashed his tail and walked right up to Beastly, the one who had been so brazen as to steal his daughter from right under his nose. It would be so easy now, with Beastly standing there helpless, just _one _punch...

"Don't do it..." Noble Heart said quietly.

Stellar stared at Beastly for a long moment, his fists shaking at his sides, but finally he heaved a deep sigh and laid his ears back. "Don't do what?" And turning away from Beastly, Stellar Heart sat on the edge of the dais with his chin in his paw. "She's not here...One of No Heart's spells must have backfired on him or something, but if she was here we should be able to see her..." his voice broke, and he put his face in his paws.

Noble Heart began to approach him, but at the sound of her father's voice, Connie began to whimper softly.

"Listen..." Proud Heart cupped a paw behind her ear, "Hear that?"

They all listened, and their eyes soon oriented on the throne. Stellar leapt to his feet and ran over to it, and the whimpering turned into wailing as Connie mistook his footsteps for No Heart's. She scrambled as far away from the sound as she could and curled into a ball, still hidden by the large chair.

"Connie!" Stellar called, peeking underneath the throne.

"Don' hurt me!" she squeaked, and he reached under and touched her back, which was the only part of her within reach.

"Connie, it's me...it's Daddy!"

"Daddy?" she hazarded a peek and crawled out, holding out her arms as a request to be held.

"You're okay!" he lifted her in his arms, holding her tight. She clung to his neck, crying loudly, and that was the first time he was actually glad to hear it; his relief was so strong it was like a punch in the chest.

"I want Mommy!"

"Okay, okay...we're gonna take you home, don't worry." he told her as he and the others hurried out, "I gotcha now, no one's gonna hurt you..."

It took them less time to get out of No Heart's castle than it did to find Connie. Stellar sat with her in the back seat of one of the cars while Noble Heart drove, and soon Connie began to realize that she was safe again. She breathed a sigh of relief, and looked up at her father.

"Huh? Why you cwyin', Daddy?" she asked, reaching up to dry his face.

Stellar hadn't even known that he _was_ crying, and he self-consciously touched his own cheek. "I'm...I'm just glad you're okay."

"But you don' cwy when you're happy, you laugh." she objected.

"Nah, sometimes you do." he replied, "If you're _really_ happy, it can happen."

"Oh." she nodded, hiding her face in his chest again, still shaking from her scare.

* * *

Regal Heart yanked the front door open before they had a chance to touch the doorknob, causing them to jump a bit. "Connie!" 

Connie gasped, and held out her tiny arms. "Mommy!"

Stellar gladly handed her over, and as his wife kissed Connie's chubby little cheeks over and over he took the time to blow his nose. Hope toddled out and wrapped her arms around Brave Heart's leg, and the lion picked her up with a laugh.

"Been a long day, hasn't it, Munchkin?" he asked, and though Hope didn't know exactly what he meant, she nodded anyway.

Brave Heart watched as Regal and Stellar fussed over Connie, and gave a satisfied nod.

"Unca Bwave Hawt, can you be the Lion?" Hope asked.

"Huh?" Brave Heart blinked in confusion. "I already _am_ a lion, Hopie..."

"No, I mean Dowothy's fwiend! Be _that_ lion!" she smiled.

"Ummm..." Brave Heart blushed and avoided the several pairs of eyes that fixed suddenly on him as if waiting for him to carry out her request. "Er...Tell you what, why don't we save that for the next time I babysit the two of ya, okay?"

"Okay..." Hope agreed, looking rather disappointed.

Regal picked some dust from Connie's fur, and groaned. "Sweetheart, you're filthy...You're gonna need another bath..."

"**_No bath!_**"

* * *

As soon as Connie was safe at home, the mysterious force that had held No Heart in place vanished. He and his minions were able to move again, but how had they been rendered immobile in the first place? 

"**_Aaaaiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeee!"_** screamed Shrieky, as soon as she was able to move. "I'll turn that stupid cub into a pair of mittens!"

"N-No Heart, should I go and get her back?" stammered Beastly, hoping that the answer would be a negative one.

No Heart had his back to them, and was ignoring them completely. They soon got the message, and left him alone to think. What _was_ that cub? None of the Care Bears or their Cousins had the power to do that. So, how had _she_ done it? He didn't know...and he didn't like it. "That cub is more than what she seems...Supposing the other cub has the same abilities? When she and her sister grow, they could be a threat to me..."

No Heart needed time to think. A _lot_ of time.

_Author's Note: Sorry it took so long to finish this. I know Connie's ability seems to be coming out of the blue, but trust me, it does have a purpose. I'd explain, but that would ruin a few surprises I have planned. I hope you enjoyed it! The next story will be up soon!_


End file.
